The sun had barely set when Rebecca’s anger boiled over completely.

She paced her bedroom like a caged tiger, her heels clicking sharply against the marble floor. The evening breeze swept through the open balcony doors, carrying with it the faint scent of roses from the garden — a scent that now made her sick. Everything in this house reminded her of humiliation.

Elias’s words echoed in her mind, replaying over and over.

“If you ever go near Maya again, I’ll make sure you’re blacklisted from every circle you value.”

Her hands trembled as she reached for the glass of wine on her table, downing it in one gulp. The...